Headlines - 26.04.2018

• Parties agree to continue discussions (dailies)
• Thaci welcomes Veseli’s platform and LDK’s round table (RTK)
• Hoti: We lacked this kind of dialogue (RTK)
• Haziri: Extraordinary elections help us move forward (RTK)
• Apostolova: Little progress in the rule of law area (Koha Ditore)
• Germany wants extension of EULEX’s mandate (RTK)
• Conference panelists demand return of pension fund from Serbia (Zeri)
• RSF: Kosovo media suffering from political interference (Koha/Zeri)
• In Sarajevo, Kurti meets Zvizdic (Koha Ditore)
• Naim Rexha appointed acting Kosovo Police director (Zeri)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Parties agree to continue discussions (dailies)

Representatives of political parties that took part in a roundtable organised by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) agreed to continue such discussions but no consensus was achieved on issues considered to be crucial for Kosovo. Koha Ditore on the front page writes that the event resembled a Smorgasbord, a buffet where all are free to take what they want. The paper adds that none of the participants, including the organisers, stuck to the agenda of the roundtable and all parties addressed issues they thought were of interest to Kosovo. The only outcome of the meeting was that the parties agreed to organise such discussions on rotation. In its coverage of the roundtable, Zeri notes that the parties did not manage to agree on early elections despite and the LDK deputy leader Agim Veliu is quoted to have said that elections were not on the agenda at all.

Thaci welcomes Veseli’s platform and LDK’s round table (RTK)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said political consensus and civic unity are essential actions for the future of Kosovo. He noted that he welcomes three recent initiatives undertaken by leaders of the political parties in Kosovo: the platform of the government for dialogue with Serbia, the platform of the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Kadri Veseli, for consensus, and the round table of the political parties called by the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Isa Mustafa. “Wide political consensus is the best guarantee to fulfill state agenda, which has for intention reach of Euro-Atlantic objectives,” Thaci said.

Hoti: We lacked this kind of dialogue (RTK)

Avdullah Hoti, caucus of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), took to Facebook to write while the round table of the representatives of Kosovo’s political parties was taking place. According to him, state agenda can be moved forward only through consensus. “LDK’s round table starts with participation of all political parties, parliamentary and non-parliamentary. We lacked this form of internal dialogue as a political specter of Kosovo. We can move state agenda forward only by consensus, and LDK is ready to play its role on building this consensus,” Hoti wrote.

Haziri: Extraordinary elections help us move forward (RTK)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lutfi Haziri, said at the regional conference “Designing state-building process: designing Kosovo’s next decade” that this decade can be called a lost opportunity for visa liberalization and many other important issues for Kosovo. “Political destabilization affected Kosovo’s progress,” Haziri said.  He added that a political consensus on significant issues for Kosovo, including the dialogue with Serbia and European integration, should be reached. He however advised on cautiousness when dialogue with Serbia is concerned. “An early election date helps us focus on the significant issues for the country,” Haziri said.

Apostolova: Little progress in the rule of law area (Koha Ditore)

Head of the EU Office in Kosovo and Special Representative, Nataliya Apostolova, said that fight against organised crime and corruption remain two biggest challenges Kosovo faces. In her address at the conference titled “Kosovo’s next decade: Advancing reform making, regional cooperation and European integration” that took place in Pristina yesterday, Apostolova said that little progress has been made in this area and that a great deal remains to be done.  “Kosovo has many challenges ahead relating to fighting organised crime and corruption. It is also important to pay attention to the public administration reform as without skilled civil servants the reforms cannot be implemented,” Apostolova remarked.

Germany wants extension of EULEX’s mandate (RTK)

“The government of Germany today said the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) should be extended for two more years, but its duties be streamlined however, as Kosovan leaders would like the mission to leave the country in June,” reported dtt-net.com. An official source at the German Foreign Ministry, reportedly told the news portal that EULEX played and continues to play a significant role on strengthening the rule of law and Kosovo’s institutions, and that Berlin wants the mission to continue its work. “Therefore, Germany strongly supports extension of EULEX’s mandate for two additional years, but it simplifies its duties,” said the source.

Conference panelists demand return of pension fund from Serbia (Zeri)

Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) and the Assembly committee on health, labour and social welfare organised a conference yesterday on the topic of the status of Kosovo’s pension fund estimated to be up to €2 billion which is in Serbia. Chairperson of the committee, Besa Baftiu, said the issue was never broached in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue while Shaban Kajtazi from the Kosovo pensioners’ association said all efforts to get the fund back from Serbia have failed.

RSF: Kosovo media suffering from political interference (Koha/Zeri)

In this year’s World Press Freedom Index, Reporters without Borders (RSF) ranked Kosovo among the countries will partially free media. According to the report, the media in Kosovo suffer from direct and indirect political interference, financial pressure and ownership dependency. “Journalists who criticize the Kosovar authorities are often accused of being ‘traitors’ or ‘Serbian sympathizers,’” the report said recalling that days after the current government of Kosovo was confirmed in 2017, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj described journalists as “illiterate” and advised them to “go back to school.” Furthermore, two leading investigative journalists were physically attacked after criticizing members of the government and close allies in articles, the report notes. The report also speaks about ethnic division in the media saying they are very visible where members of the Albanian community are rarely seen cooperating in goodwill with members of the Serbian community. “The current government nonetheless seems readier to talk with journalists and the media as whole, unlike the two previous governments, which were much less open to dialogue,” Reporters without Borders conclude. Kosovo is ranked this year on the 78th place, four positions better than last year.

In Sarajevo, Kurti meets Zvizdic (Koha Ditore)

Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, met in Sarajevo the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic, and discussed cooperation and current political situation in the region. Kurti said in a Facebook post that it is absurd that Kosovo has imposed reciprocity measures on Bosnia regarding the visa regime, a move which he said only affects Albanians and Bosnians who bear Bosnia and Herzegovina passports.

Naim Rexha appointed acting Kosovo Police director (Zeri)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has appointed Naim Rexha acting Kosovo Police general director after his predecessor, Shpend Maxhuni, got the post of Kosovo Intelligence Agency chief. Rexha is currently KP deputy director. The Ministry said it expects the vacancy announcement for the new head of KP to be published in the coming week.